Have you had a boss or worked with a person who has Bipolar in the workplace? How did you handle it?

The main hub of the company is located in New Orleans. Due to Hurricane Katrina, the boss/CEO also has PTSD as well. We moved the virtual back-office up north, while he is still in New Orleans, and we handled his back-office for a year. Then, while he was manic and off his meds, he came up here and got all his stuff and went back. He had been that way for awhile. The other problem is that this is a family business and his brother-in-law is working witth the CEO of the company via long distance. The husband is here, the CEO is now in New Orleans. Yikes. Can anyone give me advice on how to transition and maybe help him out? The CEO of this small company seems to be on the path of self-destruction. His family has done everything they can to try to help him, from thoughtful emails to setting up docs appointments for him. Even his ex-gf is involved with the family in trying to help. The CEO says that docs won't work for him, he's tried. Any advice ? :) Thank you!

**I LOVE** this job. Which is partially why I don't want to see the CEO fail....he cannot manage administrative work and in-the-field work. He is wonderful and skillful at his trade, but poor in management & administrative skills, which is where myself and the brother-in-law come in. This is the first job I've had where I can set my own schedule and pace.

**He also is or has dabbled in Pot, as someone mentioned in one of their answers.

I really don't want to see him crash and burn. We were just to the point of getting his credit back on track, his payments in on time, etc. He was also poor at managing money, which is where I came in. I was the CEO's bookkeeper/secretary, but reported to the brother-in-law.

When the CEO decided on this course of action, the brother-in-law and I were both hurt by it.....as the B.I.L. has done a lot of consulting for the CEO.

THANK YOU all for your helpful answers. I appreciate it!

Just tell him! He is going alittle to fast and slow down if you can! Sounds like he is smoking pot. Need to deal with the drug issue first, if there is one. If his house is a mess he is smoking pot, if it's real clean he is speeding. This was a reach with this answer. But it will take this phase, time to burn out. Just control the damage that's heading your way. New JOB maybe- you are a loving person to ask this question!

H e needs a good Dr and support program.
Professionals, if he wont stay on meds. then thats a problem also sounds like something more possibly.
Some people who ar e"diagnosed" as bipolar ( manic,depr.) have other issues like substance abuse. or another condition like schizophrenia.
you might not be able to help

Once he is off the medication for his manic depressive disorder,no doctor can help or family members. He needs to takes those meds daily to allow him to be in a more balanced state of mind. I know I am bipolar and finally realized the extreme importance of taking my meds routinely to prevent the extreme mood swings. if anything could he be hospitalized to learn the value of taking his meds and as a bipolar lead a productive and full balanced life. All the best to you at work and the family.

Shock treatment. Not like in the old days with high voltage, but in a personal lifestyle way. Gotta get a break from the mundane. Bi Polar / ADHD/ PTSD , whatever general terms to catagorize people who are going through tough times. It's like a cold shot of water in the face, but on a hot day when one might really appreciate it. A person with these symptoms is somewhat like a caged lion who just needs to run & play. Be creative.

I had a friend/work partner who was literally spinning & pacing with racing thoughts. While he was doing this, I grabbed up some old storm windows & stacked them against a retaining wall...then I picked up a cynder block & went over & handed it to him. He just stopped & looked at me with this block in his hands. I pointed at the storm windows. He smiled...and ran up on the windows & smashed them. When he picked up the brick again, I went and picked up a 6' length of metal fence post...pulled out an old shopping cart from the garage, handed him the pole (once he was done pulverizing the storm windows), and looked at the shopping cart. He smiled again, and beat the living crap out of that shopping cart.

By the time he was done, he was exhausted. The fence post was bent in 20 different ways...the shopping cart mangled. He told me "Thank you", and looked like a different & calm man.

I don't know how this can be reasonably applied, but he was a happier person & more focused for a long time after that.